Joseph's Best Easy Bacon Recipe

"Preparing this recipe is literally the first thing I do after I wake up on weekend mornings. I put the bacon in the oven (must be cold!), brush my teeth, start cooking other breakfast items, and then take the bacon out after 14 minutes - that's it! My bacon theory is that by placing the bacon in a cold oven to start, as the oven gradually heats to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C), the bacon undergoes a magical transformation from cold flabby piece of meat, to simmering deliciousness, to crispy bacon heaven as the oven hits the 425 degree mark. Enjoy!"

Footnotes

Cook's Notes:

I like to use naturally hickory smoked thick-sliced bacon to achieve the best results. You might want to check on the bacon after 12 minutes or so to account for the differences in oven heating times and/or thickness of bacon. Pair this recipe with Ken's Perfect Hard Boiled Egg recipe which also takes 14 minutes to prepare.

Most Helpful Positive Review

May 12, 2013

This is how I always cook my bacon now. It's absolutely foolproof and I get perfect bacon every time. NOTE: After I pull the bacon off, I use a spatula to help scrape the grease into a jar to save for cooking.

Most Helpful Critical Review

I think you'll find that your cooking time depends on how thick your bacon is, as well as how quickly your oven heats up. I used center cut regular bacon, and it took about 16-17 minutes. What was interesting to me is that the bacon didn't shrink up much, and turned out perfectly cooked with no mess in the oven. I left the bacon grease solidify a bit, rolled up the foil, and just pitched it in the trash. Once you get your timing down, this is a great way to cook bacon.

This recipe is similar to the one I use from America's Test Kitchen. They also use the cold oven method but set the oven to 400º, rotating foil-lined pan halfway through cooking, cook time 10 to 15 minutes, depending on size of bacon slices and size of baking sheet. I have found using the convection setting my bacon is crispy in about 10 minutes. Another tip, if putting a little water on the slices before baking, they lay perfectly flat, no curling.

Perfect bacon. This is the way the military "fries" bacon to serve in it's Mess halls. Learned this back in 1967 when I was in the Army's Cook's school. Time saving and perfect crisp bacon for the troops. My wife loves my bacon and all the meals I cook. Still use many of my Mom's recipes for one pot or skillet meals she taught me when in high school. Gerald

I have been cooking bacon in a preheated oven for some time, but it turned out like pan fried bacon: shriveled and greasy. Joseph's method turns out picture perfect bacon! It hardly shriveled at all, and had a wonderful texture. I don't know why a simple change makes such a difference, but why question it? The answer is BACON. Thanks, Joseph!!

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.